1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laser treatment arrangements, and more particularly to a laser system for preventing surgical scars on human tissue.
2. Prior Art
Scars are a fact of life for most people at one time or another. Such scars may arise as a result of an accident, injury, or surgical procedure. Healing of a scar will begin immediately. The healing process may take a week to a month, depending upon the severity of the skin injury. In an injury where blood vessels are severed along with the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin, the red and white blood cells from those severed vessels leak into the wound site. The blood cells which are called platelets "thrombocytes", and a blood-clotting protein called fibrinogen, help form a clot of the blood. The cells begin to form a network, and the sides of the injury begin to join together. Cellular debris from the epidermis layer begins to invade the area amongst the blood cells. Fibroblasts, or the tissue forming cells, close in around the injury. Within twenty-four hours, the injured or clotted area becomes dehydrated, and a scab is formed at the site. Neutrophils or white blood cells travel from the blood vessels into the injured area and ingest microorganisms, cellular debris, and other foreign material. Division of the epidermal cells begins at the edge of the injury, and those cells begin to build a bridge across that tissue wound. Monocytes, or white blood cells, migrate toward the wound from its surrounding tissue.
Monocytes enter the wound site itself within two to three days after the wound or surgical procedure was created. Those monocytes ingest the remaining foreign material. The epidermal cells complete a patch of new skin under the scab that is formed. After a new epidermal surface has been formed, the protective scab is sloughed off. Then the tissue forming cells called fibroblasts begin to build scar tissue with collagen.
The epidermis has been restored after about ten days from the injury or surgical procedure, and the scab is typically gone. A tough scar tissue continues to build up, and bundles of collagen accrue along the lines of the original injury or surgical cut.
Once scars have formed, treatment of them has generally been limited to various resurfacing procedures, such as dermabrasion and chemical peels. Continuous wave carbon dioxide, argon, and pulsed dye lasers have been applied onto scar tissue in an attempt to improve the appearance of a variety of scars and keloids.
These attempts at scar treatment are performed with the attempt to ensure their removal. Such treatment is often ineffective, short-lived, and sometimes even results in additional scar formation.
It is an object of the present invention, to provide a unique wound treatment aimed at scar prevention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an efficient cost effective treatment for skin injuries due to accidents or surgical procedures, aimed at preventing the initial formation of scar tissue.